REPORT #92 August 1999
THE BEST VEHICLE FOR BELIZE!

Produced by the Belize
Development Trust

There hasn't been much competition in trucks on Belize jungle
roads. The Bedford 3 tonner and 5 tonner seem to win though. I
think it is more from lack of distributor competition. Just
plain familiarity with cane farmers and milperos.

Cars are another story. Funny enough, while Landrover enjoys
more sales, due to links with the U.K. and well established
distributor dealership situation. The landrover in some people's
minds is inferior to the Volkswagon Rabbit Diesel of older years.

The roads in Belize have improved tremendously, but still not
reached the level of convenience of Canadian roads of 60 years
ago. There is a fairly good road linking the northern Mexican
border, with the old port town capital on the coast in the center
of the country and from there westward to the Guatemalan border.
Parts of it are even paved. Even a stretch of the southern road
are not bad in places. But all around the country, roads are
what you can expect. Usually, dirt, mucky with mud holes in the
southern part of the country and sticky and slippery from
limestone marl in the northern half of the country. Nor has the
local University system started to teach a civil engineering
degree yet, though one would think it a higher priority than an
MBA which they do teach.

One wag, partial to his Volkswagon Rabbit diesel talks about
the mechanical disasters that Land Rover's are. Not to mention
the many other American style cars that struggle to maneuver
around the country. Shocks going, springs breaking, oil pans
being bored, flat tires by the hundreds. You haven't really
drived if you haven't tried Belize in the two rainy seasons.

In favor of the Volkswagon Rabbit diesel, is the lightness. 50
mpg mileage doesn't hurt if it is lightly loaded either. The
front wheel drive gives good pulling power, superior to the four
wheel drive of the landrover in tricky situations, so I am told.
Then the narrow wheel base helps maneuverability around potholes
and boulders. A good pry, cut from a nearby jungle tree
will let you push and pry your vehicle out of a flooded mud hole.
When the flood waters rise and wash out the bridges, you do not
have to stay stranded for a week with few food supplies. In the
old Volkswagon Rabbit diesel car and most other models, you
simply drive across. You might have to swim behind pushing, but
you can do it. I know that from my own experience crossing
flooded rivers in the Peten jungles with an old 1969 VW camper.
You can't do that with the landrover. That one, you have to wait
for the flood to subside.

Yup! I sort of agree with the old wag back in the village of
Xaibe, Indian country, commenting on the best vehicle for
Belizean roads. The old Volkswagon Rabbit diesel! Better than a
Landrover anyday.